<p>I've heard some students say that after receiving a high EFC and consequently calling the financial aid office of a certain school, their net price drops way below their EFC. I was just wondering how often this happens and exactly what you say when trying to appeal your case.</p>
<p>I think this probably never happens. Most schools i’ve looked into require you to have a legit reason not yet apparent from your taxes/CSS like your parent having to pay 7%+ of their medical bills out-of-pocket or unemployment or death in the immediate family. </p>
<p>Unless the student was trying to leverage one school against another school, that is the only reason I can think of that would work. But since its already mid-may, that isn’t really possible for this years graduating class.</p>
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<p>What most likely happens is the person on the other end tells them the process for getting a financial review and what documentation they need to send in. A simple phone conversation with out documentation, will not increase aid or lower the EFC.</p>
<p>“What most likely happens is the person on the other end tells them the process for getting a financial review and what documentation they need to send in”</p>
<p>the administration sends more papers to further evaluate your financial status?</p>
<p>No, they ask *you *to provide documentation if there is some extenuating reason for them to re look at your EFC. They can’t just change it because you ask, but if there is something in the family financial situation that is not reflected in FAFSA they will ask for supporting documentation to prove it. It must be something they are allowed by the regulations to make a change for. For instance high medical bills or loss of income are reasons they can consider. Consumer debt is not.</p>
<p>what are they allowed to make changes for?</p>
<p>See post #5</p>
<p>High medical bills or loss of income are reasons they can consider.
Consumer debt is not.</p>
<p>If you have an extenuating circumstance, feel free to PM me for advice. I talked to many a student who wanted their aid package reviewed. Unfortunately, few warranted revision.</p>
<p>I called two finaid offices on behalf of my daughter, to ask them if they would review their offers. There was a third school, which she will attend, that had a better offer on the table. But I didn’t volunteer this in the conversation. I simply said that we would be happy to pay our EFC, and could they bring their offer in line with. One of the schools said, “that’s our best offer,” the other asked to see documentation from the school with the better offer. After a review they significantly sweetened their offer, but not quite matching the one from the school she will attend. Had that been our best offer, the revised one, she might be going their. So you can get a change.</p>
<p>I called and was told that was their best offer. The financial aid officer noted that I could file a formal appeal but unless circumstances had drastically changed in the past few months - a job loss or major medical bills - he advised not to expect any changes.</p>
<p>The idea that all you have to to do pick up the phone, and thousands of dollars come raining down, sounds like an urban legend.</p>
<p>We had an adjustment done my daughter’s first year of college, but it was based on high unreimbursed medical expenses and loss of income. It did result is a slightly higher FA package because it made her eligible for a little more federal and a small state grant. We had to provide copies of all the medical expenses and proof of the loss of income.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom: was this a one time medical expense? If so, did the finaid package decrease the subsequent years or stay the same?</p>
<p>We had an adjustment my daughters first year of college at a school that meets 100% of need. ( I was so glad they did, if they hadn’t they could have just said oh well)</p>
<p>She began school with a affordable aid package. Two weeks later, 9/11 happened and her dad received a layoff notice.
I told the college, they said when the income actually changes to give them documentation.
He was able to find another position in the company, but with a downgrade & a paycut. When we had his new check stub, we sent it to the school and they adjusted the aid( which increased her grant from the school).</p>
<p>wmurphy- The medical expanses have pretty much been ongoing, but as her EFC was already 0 the following year there was no reason for any professional judgement. If her EFC had been higher, we would have had to resubmit the current year’s medical bills every year to have the EFC adjusted each year. (this was a FAFSA only school)</p>
<p>Find your school’s request for special circumstances form (usually right there on the website), find out the name of your financial aid officer, and give them a call/email pleading your case for why you couldn’t possibly pay what they’ve calculated you’re able to pay. It usually helps if you have a competing offer from a similarly ranked institution that dramatically beats there’s. </p>
<p>But it’s probably too late now, as the above poster mentioned. They likely have little funds, and even if they do they’re unlikely to use those funds on a student who’s unlikely to attend another school since its so late. </p>
<p>And even when they adjust the package it’s usually not by a dramatic increase.</p>